TEUCHITLAN, Mexico — In the heart of Jalisco, a group dedicated to locating missing persons embarked on a significant discovery. Traveling to a secluded ranch near Mexico’s second-largest city, this citizen group, fueled by an anonymous tip, found the gate unlocked and ready for exploration.
They were equipped with basic tools—picks, shovels, and metal bars—tasks that state investigators had supposedly completed six months earlier. This expedition unearthed something that rattled both the state authorities and the entire nation: numerous shoes, piles of clothing, and fragments resembling human bones. Heartbroken families from across the country began reaching out, believing they recognized items of clothing.
This unsettling discovery was a stark reminder of Mexico’s grim count of more than 120,000 missing persons, prompting the federal government to take the helm of the faltering investigation. The ranch, situated about 37 miles (60 kilometers) west of Guadalajara in Teuchitlan, was purportedly a training zone for cartel operatives, as uncovered by National Guard forces last September.
At that time, authorities announced the arrests of 10 individuals, the liberation of two hostages, and the uncovering of a body wrapped in plastic. Despite the use of backhoes, dogs, and specialized equipment, the investigation went quiet until the Jalisco Search Warriors—among many search collectives in Mexico—visited the ranch last week of their own accord. They stumbled upon the forgotten shoes, further ensconced by clothing piles and possibly charred bone fragments.
The search collective’s influence was evident when they revisited Thursday, now invited to witness authorities officially catalog evidence and continue the search. Maribel, a member of the group, emphasized the urgency for a resolution, stating, “What we want is to stop all of this, the disappearances.” Families continue to come forward, trying to identify clothing items linked to their lost relatives.
The situation in Mexico remains dire, with over 120,000 disappeared individuals. Search collectives like the Jalisco Search Warriors often undertake efforts authorities neglect, identifying potential sites and compelling official actions. The collective’s recent actions yielded results.
Jalisco State Prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos personally visited the ranch, acknowledging the discovery of six bone clusters—yet, the number of victims remained uncertain. While he did not elaborate on why earlier investigators missed the finds unearthed by ordinary citizens, he admitted previous investigative measures “were insufficient.” In response, his office published photos of the recovered evidence, hoping for familial identifications.
On Wednesday, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus declared that the federal Attorney General’s Office would assume control of the investigation, as advocated by Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum. The Jalisco New Generation cartel maintains a powerful presence in the state. By Thursday, the once-isolated ranch was bounded by official vehicles, signaling intensified scrutiny of the squat compound shielded by high walls and farmland.
Collective leader Indira Navarro lamented the ranch’s grim role as both a training and, regrettably, an extermination site, holding the state’s former Governor Enrique Alfaro responsible for prior obfuscations of such findings.
On Wednesday, the Mexican Episcopal Conference expressed grave concern over the ranch’s discovery, labeling it an “irresponsible omission” at all government levels, illustrating broader issues with Mexico’s vanished populace.
